THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week, I spoke to the American
Legion in Salt Lake City. I thanked the military veterans for their
lifetime of service to our country. And I gave them an update on the
war that America is now fighting in defense of freedom in our time.

We're approaching the fifth anniversary of the September the 11th
attacks -- and since that day, we have taken the fight to the enemy.
Yet this war is more than a military conflict; it is the decisive
ideological struggle of the 21st century. On one side are those who
believe in freedom and moderation -- the right of all people to speak,
worship, and live in liberty. On the other side are those driven by
tyranny and extremism -- the right of a self-appointed few to impose
their fanatical views on all the rest. We did not ask for this war, but
we're answering history's call with confidence -- and we will prevail.

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We are using every element of national power to defeat the
terrorists. First, we're staying on the offense against the terrorists,
fighting them overseas so we do not have to face them here at home.
Second, we made it clear to all nations, if you harbor terrorists,
you're as guilty as the terrorists, you're an enemy of the United
States, and you will be held to account. And third, we have launched a
bold new agenda to defeat the ideology of the enemy by supporting the
forces of freedom and moderation in the Middle East and beyond.

A vital part of our strategy to defeat the terrorists is to help
establish a democratic Iraq, which will be a beacon of liberty in the
region and an ally in the global war on terror. The terrorists
understand the threat a democratic Iraq poses to their cause, so they've
been fighting a bloody campaign of sectarian violence, which they hope
will plunge that country into a civil war. Our commanders and diplomats
on the ground believe that Iraq has not descended into a civil war.
They report that only a small number of Iraqis are engaged in sectarian
violence, while the overwhelming majority want peace and a normal life
in a unified country. America will stand with the Iraqi people as they
protect their new freedom -- and build a democracy that can govern
itself, sustain itself, and defend itself.

Working side-by-side with Iraqi forces, we recently launched a
major new campaign to end the security crisis in Baghdad. This
operation is still in its early stages, yet the initial results are
encouraging. The people of Baghdad are seeing their security forces in
the streets, dealing a blow to criminals and terrorists. According to
one military report, a Sunni man in a diverse Baghdad neighborhood said
this about the Shia soldiers on patrol: "Their image has changed. Now
you feel they are there to protect you." Over the coming weeks and
months, the operation will expand throughout Baghdad -- until Iraq's
democratic government is in full control of the capital. This work is
difficult and dangerous, but Iraqi forces are determined to succeed --
and America is determined to help them.

Here at home, some politicians say that our best option is to pull
out of Iraq, regardless of the situation on the ground. Many of these
people are sincere and patriotic -- but they could not be more wrong.
If America were to pull out before Iraq can defend itself, the
consequences would be disastrous. We would be handing Iraq over to the
terrorists, giving them a base of operations and huge oil riches to fund
their ambitions. And we know exactly where those ambitions lead. If we
give up the fight in the streets of Baghdad, we will face the terrorists
in the streets of our own cities. The security of the civilized world
depends on victory in the war on terror, and that depends on victory in
Iraq, so America will not leave until victory is achieved.

For all the debate, American policy in the Middle East comes down
to a straightforward choice: We can allow the Middle East to continue
on the course that led to September the 11th -- and a generation from
now, our children will face a region dominated by terrorist states and
radical dictators armed with nuclear weapons. Or we can stop that from
happening, by rallying the world to confront the ideology of hate, by
supporting the forces of liberty and moderation in the region, and by
helping give the people of the Middle East a future of hope. And that
is the choice America has made.

The path to victory will be uphill and uneven, and it will require
more patience and sacrifice from our Nation. Yet we can be confident of
the outcome, because America will not waver -- and because the direction
of history leads toward freedom.